Australian news and politics live: Pauline Hanson calls out Senate ‘hypocrites’ after burqa stunt

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson says her stunt, wearing a burqa in the Senate for the second time, has exposed the “complete and utter hypocrisy” of her colleagues.

“They were outraged, but not for the right reasons as usual,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.

“I wanted to expose their complete and utter hypocrisy. They made the usual noises of outrage to cover their own embarrassment and complicity in making Australia less safe, in making Australia a haven for cultures which force women to wear these offensive garments, and in setting back women’s rights by decades.

“And of course, Labor and the Greens just whined about giving offense (sic) to those cultures without ever acknowledging that vastly more Australians are offended by burqas and what they represent. Greens are happy to wear symbols of terrorism in the chamber and are allowed to do so.”

Senator Hanson, who is frustrated her burqa ban bill was denied introduction in the Senate, says the garment should be outlawed over concerns for “community safety, national security, women’s rights, public civility and social cohesion”.